J. Alexander Chiles was one of Lexington's first African American lawyers. After being removed from a "whites only" railroad car in the early 1900s, Chiles sued and eventually argued his case before ...

HORSES, HORSES The showiest of show horses is the beautiful and proud American Saddlebred. Nothing matches a Saddlebred when he moves into one of his flashy gaits and the crowd of spectators bursts ...

VisitLEX is a public service organization authorized by the Kentucky Revised Statutes (KRS 91A.350) and established in 1974 by a Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG) ordinance. VisitLEX's adopted budgets, financial statements and audit reports can be viewed on the Department of Local Government's website at https://kydlgweb.ky.gov/entities/specDistsearch.cfm.

The Lexington Convention and Visitors Bureau (VisitLEX)
positively impacts the economic well-being of Lexington-Fayette County
by marketing the Bluegrass Region as an outstanding destination for
leisure travel, business travel, meetings and conventions, and by
providing quality service to these visitors.

In Lexington, as in cities across the country, the Bureau has three prime responsibilities:

To encourage visitors to discover the historic, cultural and recreational opportunities available in the Lexington area.

To encourage groups to hold meetings, conventions and trade shows in Lexington.

To assist groups with meeting preparations and while their meeting is in progress.

A convention and visitors bureau does not organize meetings
and conventions, but guides meeting planners and visitors to attractions
and services that result in a positive Lexington experience.

Convention sales professionals at VisitLEX
actively solicit meeting planners to host their meetings in Lexington.
We simplify the meeting planner's responsibilities by providing
information on facilities, assisting with hotel room commitments and
guiding the planner to make the best possible use of the services and
attractions in the area.

For visitors, we provide a wealth of information
(in advance of their arrival and while they are in town) about what to
see and do in Lexington. We produce a comprehensive visitor planning
guide and provide vacation planning assistance.

VisitLEX is a member of the Destination Marketing Association
International (DMAI). Founded in 1914, DMAI promotes sound
professional practices in travel marketing and in the solicitation and
servicing of meetings and conventions.

In 2008 the Bureau was awarded accreditation by the DMAI.
The DMAI accreditation program defines performance and compliance
standards for destination marketing organizations, assuring that staff,
leadership and external stakeholders follow proper practices and perform
at an acceptable level for the industry.

VisitLEX is a public service organization authorized by the
Kentucky Revised Statutes (KRS 91A.350) and established in 1974 by a
Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG) ordinance.

VisitLEX is not a membership organization. Operating revenue
is generated by occupied hotel/motel rooms in Lexington-Fayette County.
By state statute, hotels collect a six percent occupancy tax from their
guests. One-third of that revenue goes to the Lexington Convention
Center for debt repayment and operations, and two-thirds goes to the
Bureau.

VisitLEX is headed by a nine-member Commission appointed by
the Mayor for three-year terms. Three commissioners are selected as
representatives of the hotel and motel industry. One commissioner is
selected as a representative of the restaurant industry. One
commissioner is selected from a list submitted by Commerce Lexington.
Four commissioners are selected at large by the Mayor and must be
residents of Fayette County. In addition to the nine appointed members,
there may be up to a seven-member non-voting ex-officio panel.

The staff of the Bureau is the working arm of the Commission.

The travel and tourism industry is the nation's second
largest retail industry. As such, it is very competitive. Every state,
city and destination is actively vying for its share of the tourist and
convention market. A primary objective of VisitLEX is to secure
Lexington's share of the industry.